Best Finance Jobs in California? (IB and everything inbetween to FAANG)
Doesn't need to be IB it can be PE, Asset mgt, Investment mgt, Insurance funds, private wealth management. Even curious about commercial banking and basically all other finance jobs, such as FAANG Bus Dev.
Not familiar with the finance scene out on the West Coast and was looking for some advice. I know generally banking coverage is big on tech but have no applicable experience in that space. (Rn deal experience is in Energy, Power, Renewables, EVs)
I know this post is pretty broard but that's becuase I have basically no insight to west coast finance and would appreciate any info I can get. Have checked WSO a bit and couldn't find anything tooo helpful either
self bump
Based on the most helpful WSO content, California offers a diverse finance scene, with opportunities spanning across various sectors. Here's a breakdown of some of the best finance jobs and industries in California:
Investment Banking (IB):
Private Equity (PE):
Venture Capital (VC):
Asset Management & Investment Management:
Hedge Funds:
Corporate Finance & Business Development (FAANG):
Private Wealth Management:
Commercial Banking:
Insurance Funds:
Renewables and ESG-Focused Finance:
Your background in Energy, Power, Renewables, and EVs could be a strong differentiator, especially in sectors like renewables, ESG investing, and even tech-focused roles that value sustainability expertise. Networking will be key—consider reaching out to professionals in these industries via LinkedIn or attending finance events in California to gain more insights and connections.
Sources: Leaving FAANG dev job for serious finance (Yes, you read that right), Must I Bank?, Banking -> Startup PM on who SHOULD join IB, Breaking into Finance in California from Canada, Does anything pay better than finance?
Bump
Would love to hear more on this
Bump as well
West Coast is the headquarters to great asset managers and has an emphasis on FI/credit. PIMCO, TCW, Doubleline, Western Asset and Cap Group are the biggest players. Oak tree too but I wouldn’t include them in traditional AM.
Awesome! Thank you for some info, greatly appreciated!
Incoming SF summer associate, pretty new (obviously) and my knowledge is mostly about IB but here's what I learned while recruiting this fall.
Bay Area is the number 2 most desirable geography for IB recruits at my program, followed by LA, with Houston and Chicago rounding out the top 5. Groups in the Bay are generally Tech Coverage (large and robust), HC Coverage (smaller but still exists), and a smattering of other random one off groups like M&A, Sponsors, and BofA's MM group EGRC.
BBs
Barclays (SF) - Tech, HC
BofA (Palo Alto) - Tech Coverage, Tech M&A
BofA (SF) - HC, EGRC (this is their MM group)
Citi (SF) - Tech, HC
Goldman Sachs (SF) - TMT, HC
Morgan Stanley (Menlo) - Tech
Morgan Stanley (SF) - Industrial Tech, HC, FSG, Alternative Asset Managers (really unique group, they call it AltMan)
J.P. Morgan (SF) - Tech, HC, M&A (mostly tech, some HC)
UBS (SF) - Tech, (maybe HC too idk didn't recruit with them)
EBs
CVP (SF) - HC
CVP (Menlo) - Tech
Evercore (Menlo) - Tech, HC
Lazard (SF) - Tech, HC
Moelis (SF) - Tech, Cleantech
PJT (SF) - Tech & HC within "Strategic Advisory"
PWP (SF) - Tech, HC
Qatalyst (SF) - Sell Side Tech. Was pretty wild to hear them describe their work... they said they "sell assets that are not for sale"
MMs and others - there's definitely some I'm missing, didn't really recruit with these banks so knowledge is limited
Deutsche Bank (SF) - Tech, HC
Harris Williams (SF) - Tech
Guggenheim (Menlo) - Tech
Greenhill (SF) - Tech M&A
Jefferies (SF) - Tech
Lincoln International (SF) - TMT
LionTree (SF) - TMT
MTS Health Partners (SF) - HC (lol)
Nomura (SF) - Greentech
Wells Fargo (SF) - Tech, probably HC too
In addition to these banking teams there are many prominent tech PE firms like Thoma Bravo, Silver Lake, and Vista Equity Partners, plus outposts of MFs like TPG. Tons of less well known shops as well. There is of course the legendary and thriving VC scene home to Sequoia, Andreessen Horowitz, Lightspeed etc. and there are also seats in IM, though they can be geared towards tech and HC specific strategies (good example is PFM Health Sciences).
You won't find much RX work in the bay, ditto non tech or HC coverage. But If you're in tech finance in particular there's nowhere better to be. BB I'm going to has their tech group head in the bay and I think that's a) not an outlier and b) indicative of where in the US the power really lies for most tech groups (Goldman TMT notwithstanding)
If I was you OP, I'd start by looking up some guys on LinkedIn from Moelis Cleantech and MS Industrial Tech (they do EVs). Send them emails requesting a chat saying you're interested in the tech side of sustainability and want to lateral. It would probably be easier to parlay the energy experience into a sustainable tech group.
Thank you for the advice!
Anymore insight on the Morgan Stanleys Alternative Asset Managers (AltMan) group focuses on? Haven't heard of them before
They did Ares/GLP this year and I think that's pretty representative. They cover AAMs at a more corporate level, say when they want to acquire other AAMs to complement their own business. Contrast this with the FSG team in that office which is execution heavy and focused on helping sponsors do buyouts.
Please DM. Can’t contact you as your profile is anonymous.
New money hippie degenerates. Stay in Greenwich/Upper East Side.
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